Airdrie resident turned Crossfieldian Erin Conn has opened “the world’s tiniest art gallery” in Crossfield, serving as a showcase space and working studio for the creation of her vibrant art pieces.
Conn, the owner of Tiny CONNtempo Gallery, said there are many small art galleries around the world, but she believes she now lays claim to boasting the world’s “tiniest” gallery, at just over one hundred square feet.
“It’s really small and the ceiling is probably only seven feet,” Conn said of her new studio. “You can’t be too tall to walk in there. It’s almost like Alice in Wonderland.”
Conn said since moving to Crossfield with her family six months ago, she would often walk along Railway Street, where she came across a tiny little place that was up for rent.
She inquired about the space and dreamt up the idea of creating a small art gallery there.
“I kept thinking, ‘This would be a good little spot to do a tiny little gallery,’ so I just went for it,” she said. “I’m going to be painting in there, and then I’ll have original work, prints, mugs, cool tote bags, coasters, and stationery I print my artwork on.”
The artist’s work is featured on public mainstays such as electrical boxes and bus passes around Airdrie, as well as showcased in art galleries across Canada and the U.S.
She hopes to make her art affordable and accessible for everyone, regardless of their economic status.
“I understand it’s so hard for people right now to purchase art because it’s so expensive to live,” Conn said. “That’s why I wanted to offer paper prints and stuff that can be affordable so everyone can enjoy art, not just wealthy people buying original paintings.”
Opening a working art gallery has always been a dream for Conn, who said she was inspired by the likes of Angela Morgan Studio – a working art studio – in Fernie, B.C.
“It’s nice that people can walk in and see your work, but [also see] you working on something,” she said. “And then they can keep visiting if they want to see a work in progress, which I think is really nice too.”
She also wanted to open an art gallery to get to know her new community of Crossfield a little better.
“I’ve been at home with two kids for the last 15 years painting [and] I barely talked to anybody,” she said with a laugh. “So, it’s nice to be able to share it with the community and get to know people and bring the arts to such a small little town that doesn’t have anything like that yet.”
Since her children are getting older and don’t need as much of her time these days, Conn said she is enjoying the freedom of being able to work in her own space with few interruptions.
“I can focus a little bit more on producing more art and just being more creative,” she said.
“Because of the way the world has been in the last couple of years, I just figured it’s always something I’ve wanted to do, so why am I waiting? I might as well just give it a shot at least, right?”
According to Conn, her artwork features a modern take on pointillism. Likened to braille, the style often includes thousands of tiny, raised dots of paint on a piece of art.
“I actually squeeze [the dots] through a tube, so it’s a lot of texture,” she said. “I’ve been doing [art with] dots since I was a little kid, but now it’s just kind of exploded.
“If you look at some of my paintings, you can’t necessarily tell from far away, but when you get up to the piece, it’s mostly all dots”
Though it hasn’t been open for long, Conn’s unique artistry is already on full display at her working art studio. The new space celebrated its grand opening on Aug. 13, and friends and family came out for the unveiling.
“I did have quite a few people from the area walk by and they said they saw it on Facebook and came in, so that was nice,” she said. “I got to meet a couple of people.”
According to the artist, Crossfield is now her home base, but she also dreams of opening a larger art gallery in Airdrie one day.
“Eventually I would like to have a bigger space so I could showcase other artists too,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to have a space where I could do lessons for kids or have fun paint nights.
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.
Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.
Massive Seizure of Artworks
In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.
Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.
Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed
In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.
Court Proceedings Ongoing
The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.
Impact on the Local Art Community
The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.
For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.
As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.
While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.
Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.
As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.
